20th Century Portrait Paintings

Two Ballerinas - Acrylic and Ink on Cardstock Colorful portrait of two ballerinas by Jassen Marek (20th Century). Two ballerinas are shown in white, green, and blue. They are bendin...

Shoemaker at Work - Portrait in Oil on Masonite Lovely portrait of a cobbler at work by Max Schneider (German, 1903-1980). The shoemaker is holding a ha...

Beautiful portrait of woman with gold earring by Patricia E. Gillfillan (American, 1924-2016), c.1980s. From a collection of her works. Unsigned. Unframed. Image, 20"H x 16"W. Patri...

Presenting an magnificent original oil on panel by American artist Ron Blumberg (1908-2002) Flamenco, is an original oil on panel, signed, c.1955, with an image dimension of 12 x 9 ...

Charming portrait of Russian Boyarina by Bell Dibble Taft (American, 1855-1937), 1921. Signed and dated lower left corner and gallery label for Oakland Gallery Exhibit (Oakand Museum...

Nicholas Saleem Macsoud (1884-1972) The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) 5 July, 1936 B'klyn Artist's Work Featured At Pocono Show Nicholas S. Macsoud's Work Part of Mano...

ALEXANDER KREISEL "MAN WITH YELLOW TIE" OIL ON CANVAS BOARD, SIGNED RUSSIAN-AMERICAN, C.1935 26 X 19.5 INCHES FRAMED 29.5 X 23.5 INCHES Alexander Krei...

Mid 20th Century "Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of Captives" Original Oil Painting Circa 1950 - Relined Canvas Dimensions 23" wide x 33" high. Good condition with a few spo...

Oil portrait of a rancher with cowboy hat, by Patience Street (née Lloyd) (English, 1905-2010). Signed by the artist in the lower left corner. There are multiple notes on the frame o...

Realistic portrait oil painting on canvas of a man in a suite and tie by Ralph Edward Joosten (American, 1928-2009). Unsigned and unframed without glass. Image size: 24"H x 18"W. M...

Beautiful impressionist mid-century portrait of a woman in a garden setting by Philadelphia artist Sol Jasner (American, 20th Century). The woman has short hair and is wearing a lovely lavender colored blouse, and she is surrounded by lush greenery with a cluster of grapes growing on the vine in the background. Signed "Sol Jasner" on verso. Unframed. Canvas size: 18"H x 24"W. A mid-century Philadelphia artist and art educator active in the 1960’s, Sol Jasner taught art classes alongside his contemporary Philadelphia artist Martin Zipin.

Subdued portrait of a woman holding flowers in front of a mirror by Umberto Bianchini (Italian, 1934-2010). Signed in the lower left corner and on ve...

Contemporary Original Abstracted Figurative of Profile and Detailed Eye Silkscreen - Life's Frustration A compelling abstracted silkscreen of profile of man with detail of his eye w...

An early painting from 1991 by Kim Frohsin. Figurative self portrait with complex coloration (burgundy, gold, pale blue) and indigo cast shadow. Heavy acrylic on masonite panel. 18 x...

Artist: Nancy Mclaughlin Powell – American (1932-1985) Title: Young Piegan Woman Year: 1958 Medium: Pastel on paper Sight size: 15.5 x 11.5 inches wit...

Study of Celine Dion Fauvist portrait Original oil on canvas Vintage study (2000) of Celine Dion fauvist signed by Annamarina Norman, a California Monterey Bay artist (American, b. ...

Mid Century Portrait of Raymond L. Hanson, Large-Scale Photo-Realist Figurative Refined and austere large-scale by W.S. Bylityplis (American/France, 19th-20th Century), dated 1963 with California crest. This photo-realistic portrait depicts the subject, Raymond L. Hanson, with impressive realistic detail. Signed and dated lower right corner. Unframed. Measures: 48"H x 36"W. About the artist: W.S. Bylityplis (American/France, 19th-20th Century), was an illustration and portrait artist during the 19th and early 20th century. About the subject: Portrait subject Raymond Hanson, was a lawyer whom establish the Hanson...

Delicate portrait of a woman with flowing hair in soft, feminine tones and neutral background by an unknown artist. Signed "Chris" lower right. Presented in a peach colored painted w...

Richard Whalen (American, 1926-2009) "Carmen Amaya" Original Oil Painting c.1990 Created on a wooden ply panel with rope for hanging The artist us...

Signed lower right, 'Goetz' for Jack Goetz (American, born 1919). Jack Goetz has painted and exhibited with success for many years and continues to paint at the age of 104. Speaki...

Contemporary caricature-style portrait of a man by Michael Pauker (American, b. 1957). Signed "Michael Pauker" and dated 1976 on verso. Acquired with a collection of his work. Image ...

Signed lower right, 'D. Crispo' for Dick Crispo (American, born 1945) and dated 1972. Dick Crispo has presented 76 one-man shows and won 36 awards for his artistry, including a gold...

Portrait of a Man with an Orange Jacket in Oil on Canvas Contemporary portrait by Alfred Waterman (American, 1922-2012). A young man sits for a portrait, wearing a bright orange and...

Signed lower left 'H. R. Williams' for Homer Ross Williams (American, 1901-1954), and painted circa 1925. Displayed in a substantial, incised and water-gilded frame of the period. Framed Size: 25 x 20 x 2 inches. A psychologically penetrating, early twentieth century, figural oil painting of a bearded young man...

Signed lower right, 'Di Gesu' for Victor Di Gesu (American, 1914-1988) and dated 1971; additionally signed, verso, and titled, 'Leslie'. Winner of the Prix Othon Friesz, Victor di G...

Istvan Szasz "Fortune Teller" Original Oil Painting c.1930 Original oil on canvas. Dimensions 20" wide x 23.25" high The frame measures 26" wide x 29.5"...

Mid Century portrait of a grey haired woman wearing a sun hat by Jon Blanchette (American, 1908-1987). Rendered his signature style, this...

A beautiful mid century modernist take on Madonna and child by Dorothy Steck Beech of Carmel, California (American, 1915-2002). Signed "D.S. Beech" lower right. Displayed in a rusti...

Signed lower left, 'Sarah H. Hobson' and dated, '1936'. A delicately modeled, gouache and watercolor study of a young woman with copper hair. Sarah Villarette Hoover Hobson studied...

Vintage Mid Century Modern Figurative -- Seated Samurai Original Oil on Canvas A quiet mood of this warrior is captured by listed California artist Molly E. Brubaker (American, 1922...

Self-portrait of the artist, in a pensive seated pose, by Lise Lang Crowley (American, 20th century). Signed "L" lower right and signed "Lise Lang Crowley" on verso. Presented in a r...

Mid Century Modern Portrait of a Man in a Suit in Oil on Masonite Mid Century Modern portrait of an older man by Honora Berg (American, 1897-1985). This portrait is made of layers o...

Artist: Pierre Lavarenne (French, born 1928) Title: Brother Sister Year: Circa 1975 Medium: Oil on canvas Canvas size: 15 x 18.25 inches Signat...

Signed lower center, "Mancini"; additionally signed verso and painted circa 1975. Figurative oil in crimson, vermilion, jade, and deep blue, showing a young woman wearing a hat with...

"The Interviewer" (FRAMED) Figurative Painting 60 x 72 inch by Yoram Katz Size framed: 61" x 73" inch ABOUT THE ARTIST: Born in Israel. Graduated from the Bazelel Art Academy in Je...

Beautiful portrait of a young girl in blue dress by Jan Hanson Travis (American, 20th century). Circa 1970. Signed "Jan Hanson Travis" lower left an...

An early, 1940, oil on canvas by American artist Ron Blumberg. Blumberg was classically trained at La Grande Academie Chaumiere in Paris, 1932, before moving to New York where he bec...

Portrait painting of young boy by California listed artist Virginia Sevier Rogers 1952 Oil on Canvas Signed and dated lower right 22" W x 27" H unframed, 30" W x 35" H framed

Signed lower left, 'Goetz' for Jack Goetz (American, born 1919); additionally signed, verso, dated 1998, titled 'Toreador', with artist information. A dramatic figural study of a proud, young toreador shown seated, wearing an embroidered vest and gazing directly towards the viewer. Goetz has painted and exhibited with success for many years and continues to paint at the age of 104. Speaking of himself, the artist says: "I studied arts and languages at Santa Monica College, taking classes in oil and watercolor painting, sculpture, ceramics, art history and music. At the same time, I studied with master painter Sergei Bongart. Because he taught many people in the movie business, I had fun meeting and painting with people...

"PORTRAIT OF ANHALT PORTRAIOT" FILM MAKER OIL ON PAPER C.1970 17.5 X 22.5 INCHES Morton Dimondstein 1920-2000 At the age of seventeen Morton Dimondstein enrolled in ...

Faintly signed lower right, 'D. Mayernik' for David Mayernik (American, 20th century) and painted circa 1985. A period, Post-Impressionist style study of a woman in a turban looking proudly upwards. A warm and engaging piece by a bravura hand. Artist, design architect, author and educator David Mayernik studied fresco painting with restorer Leonetto Tintori and has painted frescoes for the TASIS campus in Lugano, churches in Ticino and Tuscany, and the Palio...

Three Figures - Black and White Illustration in Ink on Paper Bold illustration of three people by an unknown artist (20th Century). The figures are depicted in a tight cluster, as i...

19th Century Miniature Painting of Five Sisters by Vincenzo Castelli. Signed. Italian - 1789-1845 2.75 x 2.25 x 5.25

"Mother and Daughter" Expressionist Portrait in Oil on Cardstock Mid Century expressionist portrait by unknown artist Jane W. Grace (American, 20th C...

Itzchak Tarkay (1935 -2012) "The entre amis" Original Acrylic on Canvas 2002, ...

"PORTRAIT OF CHARLIE KELLER" ARTIST OIL ON PAPER C.1970 23 X 17.5 INCHES Morton Dimondstein 1920-2000 At the age of seventeen Morton Dimondstein enrolled in the American Artists School and then the Art Students League in New York City, where he studied painting, drawing, and printmaking with Anton Refregier, Harry Sternberg, and Kimon Nicolaides. After serving in the 387th Field Artillery Battalion during World War II, Dimondstein continued his studies at the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles. He was one of the first artists to produce serigraphic prints on the West Coast, marketing them as affordable art in galleries and retail stores. His prints and oil paintings garnered several awards during this post-war period, including an A.C.A. Gallery international competition for a one- man show in New York City. In 1951 he moved to Mexico, where he attended the Instituto Politécnico Nacional and studied art with José Gutiérrez and David Alfaro Siqueiros. During his three years in Mexico, Dimondstein worked as a staff artist and instructor in visual education for UNESCO and was a member of the Taller de Gráfica Popular. After moving back to Los Angeles, Dimondstein served as the art editor of the California Quarterly from 1953 to 1956. He briefly worked for the Saul Bass advertising firm where he designed books and book jackets, and collaborated on the ad campaigns for films such as William Wyler’s “The Big Country” and Otto Preminger’s “St. Joan.” Dimondstein received industry recognition for the images he created, but cranking out art for commercial ventures with strict deadlines was not for him. He chose to leave that world in favor of working as an independent artist and art teacher. Over the years he taught at the Kann Art Institute, the New School of Art, the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and the School of Fine Art which he established with UCLA faculty member Martin Lubner...

Small portrait of a clown with colorful, expressionist brushstrokes by Marjorie Blake (American, 1920-1994). Signed "M. Blake" in the lower right corner...

Artist: Joe Montanes – Spanish (1918-1998) Title: Madonna Year: circa 1970 Medium: Oil on board Painting size: 27.75 x 19.75 inches. Framed size: 32.75 x 24.75 inches Signature: Signed upper left Condition: Very good The painting is in very good condition. The frame is in good condition with a few tiny scratches which are barely visible upon very close inspection. Jose Montanes studied at the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Carlos in Valencia. In 1947, he had his first one-man show in Barcelona Recognition, scholarships, acclaim and honours quickly followed. At about this time, the French government awarded the young artist a scholarship to study at the Ecole de Beaux Arts...

Evocative modern figurative painting of a mother and family in a calming but somber palette by Rodrigo Ramirez Pimentel (Mexican, b. 1945), 1973. Imprimatura and impasto reveals artist's first take had mother looking out at world (can be seen when viewed at side angle) with artist ultimately deciding to have mother looking down at what she's carrying with family behind her and one figure looking like angel of death. Signed and dated "R. P. -73" lower right corner. Unframed. Image size: 36"H x 24"W. Born in Zináparo, Michoacán in 1945, Rodrigo Pimentel is one of the most talented Michoacan artists whose career is well known to many specialists in Mexican art. His work is part of the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City and other important collections in Mexico and the world. Rodrigo Pimentel studied at the ENAP, and became a pupil of several teachers who were still struggling for classical academic education: Santos Balmori, Francisco Moreno Capdevila...

A striking, large-scale multi-color modernist portrait of Noir fiction writer Cornell Woolrich by Chris Pelletiere (American, B. 1942). Cornell Woolrich wrote the novel "The Rear Window." He studied at the Arts Students League and NY School of Painting and Drawing. Signed on verso with artist's information, and title "Portrait: Cornell Woolrich". Wood slat, basic frame. Image size; 50"H x 50"W. A painter, illustrator, and cartoonist Pelletiere cites his early influences as the pre-code crime and horror comics. " Life in the metropolitan area plays a significant role in my artwork. For many years he made sketches of people in the transit system. Chris Pelletiere is a painter, collage artist, illustrator, and cartoonist. His work is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, The New York Public Library and private collections of Stephen King...

Carol Aus: 1878-1934 Listed artist born in Norway and lived in Chicago. She studied in Paris at Julien Academy. She painted 7 covers for the Saturday Evening Post. She was also we...

Signed lower right, 'Zipin' for Martin Zipin (American, 1920-1991) and painted circa 1960. Displayed in the original, hand-carved giltwood frame. Framed ...

William McBride (American, 1912-2000) "Daumier Heads" Original Oil on Canvas 20th c. Canvas dimensions 41.5" wide x 16.5" high The frame measures 44.5" wide x 19.5" high Signed in the lower right corner Very good vintage condition Artist, archivist, art collector, and political historian, William McBride's contribution to the city of Chicago was endless. As a young artist for the Works Projects Administration, Mr. McBride helped lay the groundwork for the South Side Community Art Center, the only remaining art institution sparked by the WPA. His art collection once included more than 1,000 paintings from African-American and WPA artists, including Charles White, William Carter, Charles Sebree...

Biography from the niece of the artist from during his lifetime. Paintings acquired from the artist.s estate. Max Turner 1925 - 2019 Max Lamar Turner Painter, Sculptor, Teacher and Author. Max Turner was born in Omaha, Nebraska on July 28, 1925. His father was Lance Howard Turner and his mother Mary Irene Turner. In 1927, his family moved to Bingham Canyon, Utah where Max's father extracted copper from a creek that he had diverted to pass through his garage. The town was located in a narrow canyon on the eastern face of the Oquirrh Mountains. In 1938, when Max was 13, his family moved to Midvale, Utah. After completing high school, Max went to work laying rail until he was inducted into the U.S. Navy to serve during W.W. II. There he took an aptitude test and was initially assigned to the medical corp., later transferring to the dental unit. Max was stationed at Port Hueneme, Ventura County, California through the end of the war. When he was discharged in 1946, he remained in Southern California, living in the Los Angeles area. He met a man named Larry Torres and they formed a partnership to do silk screen work primarily for the Colby Poster Printing Company. This lasted about 10 years until the Colby building caught fire and burned down. In 1958, Max began working for Slade Novelty company that made doll parts using a product called plastisol. A year later, Max began producing plastic parts through his own business. One day, a couple of kids brought in a shrunken skull they had made and asked Max if he could reproduce it. Max said he could and he looked around for a business to work with for this task. He ultimately decided he could create his own machine shop to make molds. As a result, Max purchased a lathe, drill press, grinder and other tools to create his own machine shop and went into business making molds. He built a clientele and in 1973, he moved his machine shop to Glendale, California. Painter, Sculptor, Teacher and Author: Max recalls the day when his interest in art took a new direction. He happened to be in a paint store to purchase some supplies when he saw a card posted on a wall that read, "Come paint with Connie Marlo". Max had been interested in art since his youth and he was frequently impressed with paintings displayed by local artists at various community events. Consequently, he decided to go to Connie's Saturday morning art class at a studio on North La Brea Avenue (between Sunset and Hollywood) in Los Angeles. But, as fate would have it, he immediately took a detour from this class when he found a piece of paper on the floor of the studio referencing another art class dealing with compositions, patterns, rhythms and color harmony. The instructor's name was Hal Reed, a former art student of the Russian/American Master, Nicolai Fechin. Hal owned the building (previously the Will Foster Studio) and had founded the Art League of Los Angeles. When Max found Hal, he asked Hal if he could join his class. Hal said "No, the class was full" but he said Max could monitor the class in the back of the classroom. Max took him up on the offer and began observing the weekly class. During the class, Hal told his students that they should practice what they were learning by going to "live model" classes. Max began attending these classes where he learned how to draw figures. After a few months, Hal and Max became good friends. Hal was so impressed with Max's work that he offered Max the opportunity to teach at another location that Hal was opening in the San Fernando Valley. Max accepted the offer and began teaching his own art class. For Max, it was a quick jump from learning to teaching. Max then found that several of his students had to commute to his art class from the west end of the "Valley". To better serve this group of students, Max decided to relocate to another studio in Calabasas. Max continued teaching, and at this time he was producing very impressive portraits, both oil paintings and charcoal drawings from live models (Max never worked from photos). Max demonstrated real talent, and the style of his drawings and paintings were being compared to those of Nicolai Fechin. And, like Fechin, Max also had an interest in sculpting. One day, Max decided to design and cast a bronze owl sculpture to put in his Calabasas Fine Art Gallery. Later, someone approached Max when he was at the foundry and asked him about his success selling the owl sculpture. The individual who asked this question was convinced that there was a broader market for these sculptures and he ordered a dozen of the owl sculptures from Max. This encouraged Max to do more castings. Some of the new castings were antique sculptures he found and reproduced. As this new business grew, he decided to establish his own foundry, employing up to 15 workers. The business continued for many years, up until the late 1990's when Max got tired of the foundry business and sold it. Max, who was now in his 70's, decided to move on to his next venture as an artist, dedicating himself to doing the actual sculpting of original art. He loved the creativity of sculpting and he had his sculptures cast at local foundries, ironically the same ones that used to be his competition. Max was now fully engaged in his new artistic direction and, over time, he produced a large body of work. He created very impressive sculptures, including about 100 full-size sculptures. He sold some of these to high-end clientele, the Foundry at SLS Las Vegas, and to Hollywood studios. Even though Max now seemed to be totally in his element, he somehow also found time to continue to teach painting classes at the California Art Institute in Westlake Village in Los Angeles. At the institute, he specialized in figure work. Max continued to draw, paint and teach, but he says he stopped sculpting when he turned 90. Max produced four books showcasing his drawings and paintings. The first is "Faces, The Drawings of Max Turner", copyright 2000, that showcases nearly 100 of his portrait drawings. Within the "Acknowledgements" section, he lists Hal Reed and Joseph Nordmann, two former students of Nicolai Fechin. In 2006, Max produced his second book titled "Figures and Faces", reflecting not only portraits but also figure drawings and paintings. It is a wonderful book of Max's work, but it is currently difficult to find. The third book is titled "Faces 2, The Paintings and Drawings of Max Turner", copyright 2009, which includes 75 portrait paintings and drawings. In the "Preface" of this book, Max describes growing up in a small and isolated mining town during the Great Depression. He states that as a kid, he had little exposure of any culture or view of what the rest of the world was like. His neighbor was the trash collector and Max would sometimes go through his truck looking for anything of value. Among other things, he found magazines like Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and Red Book, with covers that frequently showed drawings or paintings of faces. Max states that these images were the very first source of inspiration for him. He says that he began looking more carefully at people's faces and if they had character, he would draw them. By drawing them, Max says that he was making them part of his world, his world of "Faces". In 2018, Max published his newest book showcasing his drawings and paintings. It is titled "Max Turner's Figure Sketches". This softbound book includes 76 pages and over 120 drawings and paintings. In the Introduction, Max explains "I have found that when approaching the figure, one should begin with the gesture. After having captured the essence or feeling of the pose, one can then proceed to build on it." The figure sketches in this wonderful book reflect a Master's work that consistently captures the "gesture"-showing the emotion, movement and expression. Two more books are on the horizon for Max, both dealing with his passion for sculpting. His first, "The Sculpture of Max Turner" is a compilation of his commercial and noncommercial pieces throughout his career. The second, "Terra Cotta Sculpture by Max Turner" is a complete collection of figures done at the California Art Institute. These much anticipated books should be out later in 2018. Max now considers himself primarily a sculptor. But others in the art world are more than impressed with his drawings and paintings as well. His portraits are often described as having a Fechin-esque appearance, referring to the style of Nicolai Fechin. When Max observed those first art classes given by Hal Reed, it should be noted that Hal had previously been a student of the Russian/American Master Nicolai Fechin in the early to mid-1950's. In fact, Hal was a student in the last art class that Fechin taught before he unexpectedly died in 1955. Hal was so strongly influenced by Fechin that he later produced two 30-minute art instruction videos as part his Art Video Productions wherein he specifically described Fechin techniques that he learned in Fechin's class. The Fechin style and techniques were in play when Max later met Hal. Over the years, many of Max's art students, art collectors, gallery owners, as well as the Director of the Monterey Museum of Art have commented on the Fechin-esque qualities of Max's wonderful charcoal drawings and paintings. So, while Max may consider himself primarily a sculptor, his drawings and paintings are also impressive and very much sought after. When Nicolai Fechin died in 1955, three of the nine students in his last art class became life-long friends. Max subsequently became friends with not only Hal Reed, but also with prior Fechin students Joseph Nordmann and Albert Londraville...

A beautiful watercolor painting of a brown Carmel house with a white picket fence in front by Lillie Esther (Hillman) Heebner, a Watsonville, Monterey Bay area, California watercolor artist. Unsigned, but acquired with a collection of her work. Lillie (Lil) E. Heebner was guided through life by her creativity. Even at 92, she never felt old, and often said so. She met every situation in life—including death—with ingenuity. Although born in Richmond, Lillie lived in Watsonville all her life. Her father, Frederick H. Hillman, grew up on a strawberry ranch in Pajaro, graduated from Watsonville High School in 1916, and served in France during World War I. He later worked for Martinelli's Apple Cider plant and became foreman. Lillie's mother, Esther C. Hobson, moved as an infant from Bakersfield to Santa Cruz with her family in 1901, when they founded Hobson's Bath House at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk...

Signed lower right 'Jais' for Jais Nielsen (Danish, 1885-1961) and dated 1923. In a later, giltwood swept frame. Framed dimensions: 34.25 x 1.75 x 24.75 inches An early-twentieth century figural gouache showing Joan prior to her execution, kneeling and holding the communion chalice. She seems oblivious to the jostling crowd of captors and weeping supporters that surround her. An armored soldier stands at right, firmly grasping his scabbard and the hilt of his sword. A second solder draws aside the tent door...

Artist: Ruby Walker Usher – American (1889-1957) Title: Untitled Year: unknown, circa 1950 Medium: Watercolor on paper Size: 3 3/8 x 4 5/8 inches Framed size: 14.25 x 11.25 inches Si...

Wonderful portrait of woman from San Francisco by European portrait artist Alfred Jonniaux (Belgian/American, 1882-1974), circa 1950s. Signed on verso....